Floating marker



Jan. 14, 1958 R. J. DODGE' 2,819,476

FLOATING MARKER Filed June 15, 1955 2 Shets-Sheet l R. J. DODGE FLOATING MARKER Jan. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed J'Ine 13, 1955 United States Patent O FLOATING MARKER Robert J. Dodge, Bellaire, Tex., assignor to Buoys, Incorporated, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application June 13, 1955, Serial No. 515,021 l Claim. (Cl. 9-8) The invention relates to a floating marker, and it concerns more particularly a marker or buoy of the type commonly used in marine Operations to mark the location of channels, submerged objects and the like, as aids to navigation.

It is an object of the invention to provide a floating marker which may be securely anchored at any desired location, and which is capable of maintaining itself in a substantially upright or Vertical position whereby a portion thereof which extends above the surface of the water is readily visible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a floating marker which may be deflected away from its upright or Vertical position, whereby it may assume an inclined or substantially horizontal position, upon being struck by a passing boat or other object, and which has the ability to right itself quickly after being so deflected.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a' floating marker which is of simple, rugged construction and which is relatively inexpensive from the standpoint of its initial cost as well as its operation and maintenance.

e The invention will be readily understood by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a floating marker embodying the invention, showing the manner in which it is used.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectional elevational view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, sectional plan view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an `enlarged, fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, showing a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.

6 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 6-6 of rg. i

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, a floating marker embodying the invention, as hereinafter described, is shown in one of its Operating postions. The numeral l indicates the water line of a body of water in connection with which the marker is adapted to be used, while the numeral 2 designates the bottom of such body of water.

The floating marker of the invention includes an elongated mast-like member 3, which preferably is of tubular construction and of relatively small diameter, and which advantageously may be formed of light Weight metal such as aluminum. One end of the mast-like: member 3 is pivotally and flexibly connected to an anchor' 4, in closely spaced relation thereto, by mooring means as hereinafter described. The anchor 4 may comprisea mass of concrete, for example, and in its Operating. position rests upon the bottom 2.

As shown in Fig. 5, a flange 5 is rigidly secured to one= end of the mast-like member 3. A cover plate 6 is re- Z,819,476 Patented Jan. 14, 1958 2 movably connected to the flanged end 5 of the mastlike member 3 by aplurality of bolts 7 having nuts 8 applied to the ends thereof. The cover plate 6 is not necessarily water tight. On the contrary, one or more openings such as the opening 9 preferably are formed in the mast-like'member 3 whereby water may be admitted to the interior thereof and the water pressure inside the mast-like member 3 may be equalized with the water pressure outside.

One end of an eye bolt 10 is inserted thru an opening provided therefor in the cover plate 6, and is removably connected thereto by a pair of nuts 11 which are applied to the eye bolt 10 and postioned on opposite sides of the cover plate 6. The eye bolt 10 is insulated electrically from the cover plate 6 by a bushing 12, which is disposed in the opening surrounding the eye bolt` 10, and a` pair of washers 13 which surround the eye bolt 10 and are postioned on opposite sides of the cover plate 6. The bushing 12 and the washers 13 are formed of electrical insulating material. A pair of metal washers 14 each surround the eye bolt 10 and are postioned between the washers 13 and the corresponding nuts 11.

The mast-like member 3 and the eye bolt 10 preferably are formed of unlike metals, and the electrical in- 'sulation comprising the bushing 12 and the washers 13 protect the mast-like member 3 against possible deterioration due to the galvanic action of such metals.

As shown in Figs. l and 5, the mooring means above referred to consists of a Chain-like structure having a plurality of links, two of the links thereof being pivotally connected to each other to form a swivel 15 and two other links thereof each comprising a shackle 16, the shackles 16 being connected to opposite ends of the swivel 15. One of the shackles 16 is connected also to the eye of the eye bolt 10, while the other shackle 16 is connected to a ring 17 which is embedded in the concrete of the anchor 4. One or more additional links may be incorporated in the chain-like structure above described if desired.

A fioat as hereinafter described s removably connected to an intermediate portion of the mast-like member 3, and is adjustably postioned with respect thereto. The float, acting upon the mast-like member 3 in conjunction with the mooring means, is capable of supporting the mast-like member 3 in substantially Vertical position. The float preferably is so postioned with respect to the mast-like member 3 that it is disposed immediately below the water level 1 when the water level 1 is at its lowest elevation, as at mean low tide.

As shown in Pig. 2, the float above referred to comprises a plurality of circular sections 18, each of which is formed of buoyant material and which are arranged concentrically one above the other. The sections 18 adv-antageously may be formed of cellular plastic materials which are characterized by their hardness and their compressive strength, as well as their light Weight and inherent buoyancy, and which are readily available commercially. Expanded synthetic rubber, which is available under the trade name Rubatex, and expanded polystyrene, such as Styrofoam, are examples of such materials.

An opening 19 is formed in the center of each of the sections 18 which comprise the float. The openngs 19 of the several sectons 18 are aligned with each other and are adapted to receive the mast-like member 3, which is passed thru the assembled Sections 18. A plurality of eccentrically postioned, circumferentially spaced openings 20 are formed in each of the Sections 18. The corresponding openings 20 of the several Sections 18 are aligned with each other and are adapted to receive, respectively, a plurality of rods 21. The rods 21 are passed thru the assembled Sections 18, and each of the 3` rods 21.has a pair of nuts 22 threadably connected to its ends..

A circular top plate 23 and a circular bottom plate 24, each of which has openings corresponding to the openings 19. and 20 formedV therei'n, are applied' to v;the top side of the uppermost section 18-and .the under sideV of the lowermost section 18, respectively; The assembled Sections 18 are, clamped betweenithe top plate 23 and the bottom plate 24 by the rods 21 andwthe nutst22.V A cylindrical jacket 25V surrounds the 1 a'ssembled;l sections 18 and` is rigidlyf connected at its'upper edge to the peripheral edge off the top plate23.

The mast-like member 3 is passed' thru theiassembled Sections 18, the top plate'23' andf the bottomtlplate'v24, and is removably. and-adjustably connected to thev float by clampingv means vas `hereinafter described. The clamping means comprises a pair of' clarnping members 26,'J which engage `opposite -sides of the mast-like-member 3 and-'one of which is rigidly connected to` the under side of' the bottom plate 24. The clamping members 26are'connected to each other by a pair of' bolts127.

A sign as hereinafter described'is attached'to'the upper end of the mast-like member r3, which inf operation extends upwardly above the water level 1,.

As shown in Fig. 4, the'sign comprises two pairs of vanes 28 which are removably connected to the mast-like member 3 as hereinafter describled.i Each of the 'vanes 28 lies in a plane which is. parallel to. the axis of the mast-like member 3 and extends radial'ly o utvvardly therefrom, the several vanes 28 being spaced'circumferentially- The vanes 28v are connected in. lpairsby, two Web-like portions 29, each of which is .curved to fit the peripheral surface of the mast-like member 3, andtis connected to the adjacent edge portions of two of the vanes 28. The two vanes 28 of Veach pair and the connecting web-like portions 29 advantageously may be formed in one piece. The vanes 28 are connected to the rnasVt-like member 3v by a plurality of bolts 30, which are passed thru aligned openings provided therefor in the mast-like member 3 and in opposed surfaces of the connecting webelike. pprtions 29.

The exposed surfaces of the sign advantageously may be covered with luminous or light reflecting material whereby the sign may be readily visible at night as well as by day. Luminous sheet material of the type known as Scotchlite is eminently suitable for this purpose. Alz ternatively, the sign may be painted with a luminous paint.

In the operation of the fioating marker above described, z

the marker is normally disposed in its upright or vertical position, as shown in Fig. l, and is 'yieldably retained in such position by the buoyancy of the float, which supports the mast-like member 3 intermediate its ends, in conjunction with the restrainng force which is applied to the lower end of the mast-like member 3 due to the weight of the anchor 4. When the marker is struck by a passing boat or other object it is capable of being deflected away from its upright position whereby it may assume an Vinclined or substantially horizontal position.

The abilty of the market to right itself is a function of thedistance. of the center of buoyancy from the center of gravity. The marker is characterized by its relatively light weight and its absence of mass, and the weight of the anchor 4 exerts a downward pull on the lower end of the mast-like member 3 which corresponds to the buoyancy of the float. Thus the center of gravity may be regarded as the point `at which the lower end of the mast-like member 3 is connected to the mooring means.

In order to maintain the center of' gravity as low as possible the mooring means preferably is relatively short, so that the lower end of the mast-like member 3 is positioned immediately adjacent the bottom 2. In order to maintain the center of buoyancy as lhighv as possible the float preferably is relatively wide in proportion to its height, and is positioned immediately below the water level 1 when the water level 1 is at its lowest elevation, as at mean low tide.

The invention may be modified in various ways without departing from. the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

A floating marker comprising an elongated mast-like member, an anchor adapted to rest upon the bottom of a body of water, mooring means pivotally and flexibly connecting one endr of the mast-likemember to the anchor in closely spaced relation` thereto, the mooring means beingvrelatively short as compared to the length of the mast-like member whereby the mast-like member is movable pivotally, in the Vertical plane, about its connected end, a float removably connected `to an intermediate portion of the mast-like memberV and adjustably positioned. withLrespect thereto, the position of the float with respect to the mast-likemember being such that, when the marker is in use, the fioat is fully submerged and the arrangement beingtsuchthat the float, acting upon the mast-like member in conjunction with the mooring means, is capable of supporting the mast-like member in substantially Vertical position, and a'sign attached to an end portion of the mast-like member opposite its connected end which is adapted to extend upwardly above the surface of the water, themast-like member having a flanged end, a cover plate being removably connected to the flanged end of the mast-like member, and an eye bolt being Vremovably connected to` the cover plate and insulated electrically with respect thereto, the mooring means consisting'of; a

Chain-like structure having a plurality of links, twoiof' the links thereofbeing pivotally connected to each other to form a swivel and two other links thereof each comprising a shackle, one of the shackles being connected to the eye of the eye bolt and the other shackle being connected to the anchor.

References` Citedin the file of this patent 

